Ohio woman, allegedly enslaved, spent time in jail CLEVELAND (AP) — A mentally disabled mother authorities said was enslaved for two years along with her daughter spent time in jail this year after pleading guilty to beating the girl, but her attorney told a judge that her captors forced her to do it. Court records show that a child endangering complaint was filed against the woman in October 2012 just a day after she was charged with shoplifting and asked to be jailed because three people had...

Cody found guilty of 2nd-degree murder Andrew James “A.J.” Cody was found guilty of second-degree murder on Wednesday and sentenced to a prison term of 20 years. He was also convicted of discharging a firearm in the commission of the crime, but the jury delivered a sentence of zero years on that charge. The jury deliberated approximately three and a half hours before delivering the verdict. Cody, 27, was charged with first-degree murder and aggravated residential burglary in the Ma...

Attorneys summarize arguments in closing statements Attorneys on both sides of the courtroom had the opportunity to summarize their arguments during closing statements Wednesday in the murder trial of Andrew James “A.J.” Cody. Fifth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney David Gibbons said Cody admitted to killing Lee Britton, 65, on May 18, 2012, but said he did not intend to do so when he went to Britton’s house that day. Gibbons said his problem with that argument was Cody’s timing. He didn'...

James Cody: ‘I did it for my baby’“I did it for my baby.” When asked during a taped interview with police why he killed Lee Britton, Andrew James “A.J.” Cody told investigators his daughter said Britton had touched her inappropriately and that the man had been accused of child molestation in the past. A.J. Cody, who is represented by Dover attorney Michael Robbins and Clarksville attorney Jack Patterson, has been charged with first-degree murder and aggravated residential burg...

City’s graffiti problem persistently growingAt least five minors 17-19 years of age were caught by Russellville police June 12 attempting to spray paint graffiti on top of the West Main Avenue 500 building. R.D. Walker, owner of C&D Drug Store, reported Thursday graffiti was painted on the side of his building the same night. Walker said the repair for such damage could cost as much as $1,000. “Fortunately, it wasn’t something obscene,” Walker said. “I wished they would have come to me;...

Utah man shot in church upgraded to fair condition OGDEN, Utah (AP) — A Utah man shot in the head during a Father’s Day Mass was upgraded to fair condition Tuesday — just a few hours after his son-in-law was charged with attempted homicide in the shooting. On his 66th birthday, James Evans was moved out of the intensive care unit at McDay-Dee Hospital in Ogden, another step in what doctors expect to be a full recovery. The bullet police say was fired at point-blank range by his son-in-law, Cha...

Jury can’t reach verdict in Detroit cop’s trial DETROIT (AP) — A judge declared a mistrial Tuesday after jurors failed to reach a verdict in the trial of a Detroit police officer who fatally shot a 7-year-old girl during a chaotic search for a murder suspect that was recorded by a reality TV crew. Loud voices could be heard in the jury room a few hours before jurors threw in the towel and were dismissed. They sent three notes, the last one indicating they still couldn’t reach a unanimous ve...

Ohio police chief takes criminals to task online KENT, Ohio (AP) — If you’re up to no good in this pocket of northeast Ohio, especially in a witless way, you’re risking not only jail time or a fine but a swifter repercussion with a much larger audience: You’re in for a social media scolding from police Chief David Oliver and some of his small department’s 52,000-plus Facebook fans. And Oliver does not mince words. In postings interspersed with community messages and rants, the Brimfield Town...

Jury seated at ex-Little Rock officer’s trial LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A jury was seated Tuesday in the trial of a former Little Rock police officer who fatally shot a 15-year-old boy after the teen caught with two other youths breaking into cars at an apartment complex parking lot. Josh Hastings is charged with manslaughter in the August 2012 death of Bobby Moore III. Hastings claimed the car Moore was driving was heading toward him, prompting him to fire through its windshield, but prosecutor...

Trial delayed for man charged in 3 deathsARKADELPHIA (AP) — A trial is being rescheduled for a man charged in the slayings of two young Arkansas girls and their stepfather. Riakos Lizana was slated to go on trial next week, but his trial is being pushed back until Oct. 22. Lizana also has a hearing scheduled for Aug. 27. Authorities arrested Lizana in December in connection with the deaths of Marley Crutchfield, 4, Adiele Crutchfield, 6, and the girls’ stepfather, Bobby Jean Galbrait...

$2M in stolen heavy equipment recoveredMULBERRY (AP) — Authorities have arrested a man living near Mulberry after he was allegedly caught with $2 million in stolen heavy equipment and other materials. Crawford County sheriff’s deputies arrested Toby Yancy last week for possession of equipment that included a backhoe and a bulldozer. Deputies also found semi-trailers with allegedly stolen goods inside that were reported stolen nearby, while, others were from as far away as Canada. D...

3 charged with enslaving disabled Ohio mom, child ASHLAND, Ohio (AP) — A mentally disabled woman charged with shoplifting a candy bar asked to be jailed because three people “had been mean to her” — then went on to tell authorities about her time spent in unfathomably cruel servitude, along with her young daughter, at the hands of three people, authorities said Tuesday. On several occasions, according to an FBI affidavit, the suspects injured her and ordered her to go to an emergency room for...

Cody murder trial gets under wayA jury has been selected and opening arguments presented in the first-degree murder trial of Andrew James “A.J.” Cody. After a jury of seven men and five women with two female alternates was seated mid-afternoon Monday, Fifth Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney David Gibbons and defense attorney Michael Robbins delivered opening statements in the case before court was dismissed for the day. Cody, 27, of Casa, faces charges of first-degree m...

Bond Hearings (June 18, 2013)The following people appeared during felony bond hearings Monday at the Pope County Detention Center. Their names, ages, anticipated charges and bond amounts are listed. If charged, they will appear on July 22 in Pope County Circuit Court. • Gary Descoteau, 42, criminal mischief — $5,000. A Pope County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) report stated Descoteau’s neighbor called police Saturday to report loud music coming from Descoteau’s house. The neigh...

Shock lingers after Nazi unit leader found in US MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The revelation that a former commander of a Nazi SS-led military unit has lived quietly in Minneapolis for the past six decades came as a shock to those who know 94-year-old Michael Karkoc. World War II survivors in both the U.S. and Europe harshly condemned the news and prosecutors in Poland have said they’ll investigate. An Associated Press investigation found that Karkoc served as a top commander in the Ukrainian Self-Def...

Attorney moves to bar DHS findingsThe local prosecuting attorney has requested a finding by the Department of Human Services (DHS) not be allowed in the murder trial of Andrew James “A.J.” Cody, set to begin Monday in Pope County Circuit Court. Cody, 27, of Casa, faces charges of first-degree murder and aggravated residential burglary in the May 18, 2012, shooting death of Lee Britton, 65. According to testimony at Cody’s felony bond hearing in May 2012, Cody and his wife were...

Graffiti artists hit C&D Drug StoreC&D Drug Store was the victim of graffiti artists Wednesday night. The Russellville Police Department investigated a vandalism incident at the historic building housing the store this week. Public information officer Drew Latch said the department determined the graffiti was the work of pranksters and was not gang-related. “It appears to be probably juveniles, and it also appears that they climbed on top of the building in order to do the graf...

Bond Hearings (June 15, 2013)The following person appeared during felony bond hearings Friday at the Pope County Detention Center. Their name, age, anticipated charge and bond amounts is listed. If charged, they will appear on July 22 in Pope County Circuit Court. • Kevin Barnes, 35, possession of drug paraphernalia — $5,000. A Russellville police report stated Barnes was stopped Thursday for speeding, and police discovered he had a warrant in Johnson County for failure t...

Ex-Little Rock officer’s to be tried for shooting LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A jury will have to decide whether a former Little Rock police officer was reckless when he shot and killed a teenage burglary suspect, an incident for which he was fired and charged with felony manslaughter. Last summer, then-officer Josh Hastings answered a call about cars that were broken into and came upon a car with three juveniles inside. Hastings told investigators the car was going as fast as 30 mph in his direction ...